High-performance PVDF/borophene-based TENG for energy harvesting and self-sustaining health monitoring in manual treadmill systems

Increasing energy needs have intensified the global pursuit of alternative, sustainable energy solutions. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), which convert ambient energy into electrical energy, are a prospective technology that stands on par with solar and wind energy harvesters. Borophene, one of the latest “flatland” 2D materials with higher charge-carrier mobility and anisotropic electron arrangement, is being explored as a triboelectric performance-enhancing filler in the electrospun PVDF fibermat. The prepared PVDF-borophene composites of 1 × 1 cm² dimensions exhibit a significant TENG output of 83 V, 11.5 μA, and 27 nC and the highest power density of 9.8 W m⁻² when excited with a 10 Hz and 10 N mechanical stimulus. Leveraging this performance, a self-sustaining fitness system is developed by embedding the TENG into a manual treadmill to operate in a dual role as an energy harvester and a biomechanical sensor. The proposed TENG configuration utilizes fitness monitoring and its accentuated employment in the broader smart healthcare applications beyond wearable devices.